Minnesota Legislature
Big funding bumps for scholarships, Minnesota State system included in higher education omnibus
By Rob Hubbard
The cost of college may go down for many Minnesotans if funding goes up in the manner proposed in the omnibus higher education finance bill.
On Tuesday, the House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee began discussing proposed changes for the 2024-25 biennium in a delete-all amendment to HF2073, a bill sponsored by the committee chair, Rep. Gene Pelowski, Jr. (DFL-Winona).
The $4.16 billion bill would increase higher education funding by $650 million, or 18.5%, in the next biennium. The chief beneficiary would be the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities, which would receive $1.91 billion, an increase in funding of $331.4 million, or 21%. The system sought an increase of $350 million.
The University of Minnesota’s funding would rise by $193.7 million, or 14%, to $1.58 billion for the biennium. It had asked for $205 million. And scholarship programs administered by the Office of Higher Education would see a 22.7% bump to $669.4 million, an increase of $124 million.
Recent Dailies
Housing omnibus bill could overhaul tenant, landlord law
By Tessa Pieper
Renters comprise up to 30% of households across the state, and in our most populous cities that number can be 50% of households or more.
All could be affected by the omnibus...
Legislation to create indemnity fund aims to make grain sellers whole when buyer fails
By Margaret Stevens Martin Phillips, who operates Blue Sky Farms south of Mankato, had an organic corn contract with Pipeline Foods. But less than two weeks after he made his last corn delivery, he...House panel OKs measure supporters say will improve safety standards at oil refineries
By Steve Abrams
Oil refineries are not your average work environment, even by industrial workplace standards. A minor mistake by an untrained worker can have catastrophic consequences.
For ...
Bill to help retain nurses at Minnesota bedsides clears House health panel
By Tessa Pieper
Many nurses cite insufficient staffing as to why they leave their jobs.
Yet, according to the Rep. Sandra Feist (DFL-New Brighton), there is no shortage of nurses.
“In 2...
Emergency fund for MN college students in need of a major boost, advocates tell higher ed committee
By Rob Hubbard
The early 2020s have been a tough time to be a college student. In addition to all the difficulties that accompanied the pandemic and the Zoom-ification of educational offerings...
Policy-only omnibus public safety bill heads to House floor
By Tim Walker An omnibus public safety bill sailed through committee Tuesday with nary a word of debate and is now headed to the House floor. The secret to the bill’s success? It is p...Programs striving to close student opportunity gaps ask lawmakers for $13.4 million
By Steve Abrams Opportunity gaps because of income or race persist among Minnesota schoolkids. In fact, it is widely accepted the state has some of the worst opportunity gaps of any in the coun...Bill proposes expanded access to public defenders in child protection cases
By Tim Walker Even casual viewers of TV cop shows know that if you are charged with a crime, but are too poor to afford an attorney, the state must provide you with a public defender at no co...Early educator licensing change sought to help students and teachers
By Jonathan Mohr
Minnesota currently has a number of school-based early learning programs that require their teachers to be licensed. Others, such as voluntary pre-kindergarten and some school r...
House panel considers allowing MN secretary of state to use federal election safety funds without legislative approval
By Mike Cook
Attorney fees and federal funds make up a $938,000 funding bill for the Office of the Secretary of State.
And a policy change would make it easier to spend some of those dol...
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Walz, legislative leaders announce budget targets for 2023 session
By Jonathan Mohr
With the session’s final committee deadline exactly two weeks away, legislative leaders announced an agreement Tuesday on how much new money they plan to spend in 2023 and the f...
Gov. Walz's proposed budget largest in state history, includes $8 billion in tax cuts
By Steve Abrams
Make Minnesota the best state in our country for kids to grow up.
It’s a lofty goal but that was Gov. Tim Walz’ mantra Tuesday during the unveiling of his proposed budget fo...
